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Bulldogs QB
David Carr
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The strongest positions in college football this year are quarterback and receiver.
Running back is way down this year, and there is not a placekicker worthy of All-America
mention.
The following squad is based on college production and team contribution in 2001 and
not hype, pro potential or career accomplishments.
QB David Carr / Fresno State
Worthy of serious consideration:
1. Rex Grossman / Florida
2. Antwaan Randle El / Indiana
3. Joey Harrington / Oregon
4. Eli Manning / Mississippi
5. Brandon Doman / Brigham Young
6. Byron Leftwich / Marshall
7. Eric Crouch / Nebraska
Underhyped:
Josh McCown / Sam Houston State
Overhyped:
Ken Dorsey / Miami (Fla.)
Notes: Carr wins games and is like John Elway, Dan Marino and Brett Favre in that
regard. Carr has a quick, accurate and very strong arm, and he is a top leader who makes
everyone around him better. He puts lots of touchdowns on the board. Grossman is
superproductive in the Florida system, but he is, in part, a product of that system.
Harrington runs the Oregon offense almost flawlessly. Randle El is amazing, but he may try
to do too much himself. While Carr makes his receivers look good, Dorsey’s teammates
make him look great. Also, Dorsey is limited and has limited mobility and arm strength in
the Steve Walsh mold.
RB Luke Staley / Brigham Young
RB William Green / Boston College
Underhyped:
Brian Westbrook / Villanova
Overhyped:
T.J. Duckett / Michigan State
Notes: Staley is a superproductive runner and receiver. All he does is score
touchdowns. Staley broke his fibula in Brigham Young’s next-to-last game. Green is a
little bit of a straight-line runner, but he has great speed and power and breaks long
runs. He can make a move, but does not string a lot of moves together. Duckett has great
talent. Against Michigan he showed why he should be a franchise back. But he often ran
like the bad Ron Dayne, and he was too slow to hit the hole the rest of the year.
TE Daniel Graham / Colorado
Others:
1. Jeremy Shockey / Miami (Fla.)
2. Jason Witten / Tennessee
Underhyped:
Witten
Overhyped:
Tim Stratton / Purdue
Notes: Graham is an outstanding and clutch receiver who is becoming a solid blocker.
Witten is just a sophomore, and if he does not get too big, he could become another Dave
Casper. Granted, Witten made a couple of bad plays vs. Florida, but overall his play has
been outstanding. Stratton hates to block, can’t run and is dropping passes this
year.
WR Lee Evans / Wisconsin
WR Josh Reed / LSU
Others:
1. Jabar Gaffney / Florida
2. Donte Stallworth / Tennessee
3. Ashley Lelie / Hawaii
4. Marquise Walker / Michigan
5. Reche Caldwell / Florida
6. Bernard Berrian / Fresno State
7. Kelley Washington / Tennessee
8. Fred Gibson / Georgia
9. Roy Williams / Texas
10. Reggie Williams / Washington
Underhyped:
Lelie
Overhyped:
Kareem Kelly / USC
Notes: Evans has played as well as anyone in the nation and is worthy of Heisman
consideration. Reed lacks pure speed, but he can cut on a dime and is the strongest runner
after the catch of any receiver in the college game. Gaffney has plenty of hot dog, but he
puts forth plenty of production. If Stallworth did not miss so much time, he might rate
ahead of Gaffney.
C Seth McKinney / Texas A&M
Note: Very solid and reliable
OG Toniu Fonoti / Nebraska
Note: Most dominating player in college football. In the John Hannah mold.
OG Andre Gurode / Colorado
Note: Just watch the Nebraska game.
ORT Mike Williams / Texas
OLT Bryant McKinnie / Miami (Fla.)
Underhyped:
Kendall Simmons / Auburn
Overhyped:
Joaquin Gonzalez / Miami (Fla.)
Notes: Williams is a 365-pound dancing bear. Getting around McKinnie is like
circumventing the globe, and unlike most giants, "Mt. McKinnie" is athletic and
mobile. Gonzalez is a great achiever and good player, but he is not in the same class as
McKinnie.
DL Dewayne White / Louisville
DL Dwight Freeney / Syracuse
DL Ryan Sims / North Carolina
DL Julius Peppers / North Carolina
Underhyped:
Sims
Overhyped:
Peppers
Notes: White reminds me of Bruce Smith at similar stages of Smith’s development,
but he is not as big as Smith was. Freeney was sensational until he went up against
Mc-Kinnie. Sims has nowhere near the potential or big-play ability of Peppers, but Sims is
a more consistent college player. Peppers makes plays nobody else can make.
LB E.J. Henderson / Maryland
LB Robert Thomas / UCLA
LB-SS Roy Williams / Oklahoma
Others:
Coy Wire / Stanford
Underhyped:
David Thornton / North Carolina
Overhyped:
Bradley Jennings / Florida State
Notes: Henderson flies all over the field making big plays and big hits. He’s the
most explosive Maryland defender since Randy White. Thomas is a terrific college player
whose size may hurt him more on the next level. Williams plays the run like a great
weak-side ’backer and is better in coverage than most defensive backs. Thornton has
been the Tar Heels’ best linebacker all year. Jennings is super tough but not very
gifted as an open-field athlete.
DB Phillip Buchanon / Miami (Fla.)
DB Quentin Jammer / Texas
DB Keyuo Craver / Nebraska
DB Ed Reed / Miami (Fla.)
Others:
1. Lito Sheppard / Florida
2. Michael Lewis / Colorado
Underhyped:
Andre Goodman / South Carolina
Overhyped:
Chris Hope / Florida State
Notes: This is the strongest position on the defensive side of the ball. Buchanon is a
great playmaker and cover man who also excels on returns. Jammer is a very physical
bump-and-run corner who shuts people down. Craver is the best cornerback to play at
Nebraska in the past 20 years. Reed has a great nose for the ball and a great knack for
the big play.
P Dave Zastudil / Ohio
The best in the Mid-American Conference since Brad Maynard.
PR Andre Davis / Virginia Tech
KR Herb Haygood / Michigan State
Head coach: Ralph Friedgen / Maryland
Heisman Trophy
On merit
1. David Carr / Fresno State
2. Lee Evans / Wisconsin
3. Phillip Buchanon / Miami (Fla.)
(tie) Rex Grossman / Florida
(tie) Antwaan Randle El / Indiana |
